This Girl Is On Fire

The Bean has been on fire lately. No, she’s not a budding arsonist. She has been highly motivated. For the past two weeks, several days after school, she has worked cleaning soap, stamping soap, boxing, and labeling in the studio. She has done all of this on her own accord. We eat, sleep and breathe soap, goats, farm work, and animals. As far as daily responsibilities, first and foremost, she has to work to the best of her ability in school. Eric and I tell her that school is her job right now. Her education takes precedence above all else. She does a fantastic job with her schoolwork for the most part. Her grade in math goes up and down, but she usually pulls it up in time for report cards. Thus far, she has been on the honor roll and achieved academic success.

As for daily responsibilities outside of school, she has to feed and water the dogs, unload the dishwasher, and set the table for dinner. Every once in a while, I ask her to load the dishwasher as well. We have yet to make it a week that she doesn’t need to be reminded to complete these tasks. Sigh. It’s more a choice of not remembering than actually not remembering. However, she’s such a good kid; if this is the worst she throws at me, I’ll take it.

When I began this journey into soaping, she was right by my side. She designed and created her own line of kid’s soaps. When Jordan has a vision, she isn’t afraid to follow it. I have always been impressed by this quality. She’s very confident, knows what she wants, and knows how to get it for the most part. She has taken a step back from the soap in the past few years. Although I miss her enthusiasm and excitement, I realize she is growing up and needs to develop her own interests and forge her own path. I never want to be the mom who plots her child’s path and locks her into my idea of how her life should look. She’s too special for such narrow-mindedness.

Lately, she has had a resurgence of interest in the soap business. Secretly, I could not be more thrilled. She works in the evenings once her school work is completed. The Bibbed Wonder works alone in the evenings unless one of the people who help us is there. I am busy taking care of mundane daily chores like cooking dinner, running Jordan to her activities, doing homework, and getting ready for the following school day. Jordan enjoys working with her dad one on one, and it’s rare they have alone time. She has even begun to go out and take care of the evening barn chores with him. I might be mistaken, but I think he is over the moon that she works with him and has sparked a new interest in what he does.

Not only has she been helping out with the soap, but she also has several ideas for new products she would like to take charge of developing. Thus far, she has been working to create the perfect lip scrub, a lip balm, both tinted and untinted, and she has aspirations for a sugar scrub. I am behind her one hundred percent in creating these products, but the hard and fast rule is that she must be willing to create and maintain them. The Bibbed Wonder and I are too busy to take on new product projects. I am patiently waiting to see her follow-through on this front.

When Jordan sets her mind to a task, she has a better work ethic than most of the adults we have employed up until now. She learns quickly, follows procedures, cleans up after herself, and doesn’t leave until the task is completed. There isn’t anything that she deems beneath her. She even washes dishes, which no one likes to do, and she does it well. She makes me very proud.

I am excited and curious to see what the future holds for this young lady. She has so many unique interests, passions, and creativity. No matter where her path may lead, I am certain she will blaze a new one. Right now, she is interested and thrilled to be a part of our dream and journey. I will take it, appreciate it, and nurture it for as long as it lasts.

As always, dear reader, stay safe, be smart, appreciate those who choose to join you on your journey and keep washing your hands.